{"id":1403147,"date":"2021-08-24T11:00:37","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T15:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1403147"},"modified":"2021-08-24T11:00:38","modified_gmt":"2021-08-24T15:00:38","slug":"kobe-bryant-superfan-tony-finau-fittingly-wins-biggest-pga-tour-event-career-black-mamba-birthday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/kobe-bryant-superfan-tony-finau-fittingly-wins-biggest-pga-tour-event-career-black-mamba-birthday\/","title":{"rendered":"Kobe Bryant Superfan Tony Finau Fittingly Wins the Biggest PGA Tour Event of His Career on the Black Mamba's Birthday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There's only one NBA jersey in Tony Finau<\/a>‘s closet: a gold Los Angeles Lakers jersey with a purple No. 8 on the front and the name “Bryant” on the back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finau isn't a huge NBA geek, but he was always a die-hard Kobe Bryant<\/a> fan. The pro golfer started rooting for the Lakers at an early age just because of Bryant, and he's been a loyal follower ever since. So, after 1,975 winless days on the PGA Tour<\/a>, it was only right that Finau scored his long-awaited second victory on the Black Mamba's birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tony Finau idolized Kobe Bryant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Tony
Tony Finau pumps up the crowd while wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey during the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale | Tracy Wilcox\/PGA TOUR via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every professional athlete had some sort of connection to Bryant<\/a>. Some were lucky enough to know him and spend time with him during his 41 years on this earth, while others simply admired him from afar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might think PGA Tour players would be the least invested in Bryant's life and career, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Just take a look back at the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open. A few days after Bryant's tragic death, numerous golfers donned Kobe attire while playing the iconic 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale to honor the Lakers legend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finau went all out by wearing his Bryant jersey and sporting purple and gold golf shoes with “8.24” written on the sides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI only own one NBA jersey, so to give you an idea of how much Kobe meant to me, and just being a Laker fan in general,\u201d Finau said last year after his opening round at TPC Scottsdale. \u201cWhen you think about LA, you think about Kobe. So it was the one jersey I owned and I knew that, hey, this is the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finau finished the tournament in second place after losing to Webb Simpson in a two-man playoff. There was just something about playing for Bryant that lit a fire in him, and that showed up yet again this past weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finau wins the biggest PGA Tour event of his life on Bryant's birthday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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